June 06, 2013

Van Isle 360°

2013

I N T E R N AT I O N A L YAC H T R AC E

Leg Start Dates: • June 8 Nanaimo - 10:30 am • June 9 French Creek - 9 am • June 10 Comox - 9 am • June 11 Campbell River - 8 am • June 12 Hardwicke Island - 9 am • June 13 Telegraph Cove - 9 am • June 14 Port Hardy - 9 am • June 16 Winter Harbour - 8 am • June 19 Ucluelet - 10 am JUNE 8-22, 2013 • June 21 Victoria - 9 am www.vanisle360.com • June 22 Nanaimo - Finish

14th Port Hardy 16th Winter Harbour 19th Ucluelet 21st Victoria 22nd Nanaimo Finish

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Special thanks to all our host communities for their incredible hospitality. To our dedicated volunteers, thank you as well!!

We could not hold the event without your tremendous contribution.

Special thanks to the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Units around Vancouver Island for conducting safety inspections, providing escorts as required and standing by in the event of an on water emergency.

We would also like to thank BC Sailing and US Sailing for providing the Safety at Sea Courses to skippers and crews, enhancing the safety of all on the water.

2 www.vanisle360.com

Trial run becomes premier event The First Van Isle 360° tested the waters for yacht racing of this kind around Vancouver Island.

F

ormerly known as the Cadillac Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race, the event, which starts and fi nishes in Nanaimo, has run since 1999 when Nanaimo yachters Wayne Gorrie and Janine Bell organized the competition and attracted 14 boats to circumnavigate Vancouver Island.

The history of the Van Isle 360° dates back 13 years earlier to 1986 when Gorrie and Steve Knight fi rst developed the event, which was originally named the Coast Hotels Around the Island Race and sponsored by Coast Hotels and Anchorage Marina.

Yachts – 25 signed up for a $1,000 entry fee – and were encouraged to seek sponsorship, but since sponsored yacht racing waswhale discouraged in Canada at the Vancouver Island Adventure.

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Ambassador’s Edition, which was really a trial to see if it was even possible to run a race around Vancouver Island in stages.

That fi rst race was successful and it ran annually until 2001, then running every other year on the odd year as an offset to the Vic Maui race.

In 2003, the Canadian Navy joined by providing escort and safety craft for the event.

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Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013

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Lower Mainland-based management team gets on the job

tra

Blast Performance Sailing le

I

n 2011, Blast Performance Sailing acquired the rights to the Van Isle 360° with Jeffrey Motley and his wife, Sylvia, becoming the race’s lead organizers.

Blast Performance Sailing specializes in serving the dinghy sailing community in Western Canada, as well as being the only Switlik Marine Service Centre in Canada.

Jeffrey Motley said Wayne Gorrie and Janine Bell, who had organized the event since 1999, were ready to relinquish the helm, but wanted to ensure the event continued.

“They were looking for someone to take

Jeff Motley

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training from Island event organizers.

g learns the ropes

it over and it was one of those things where the sailing community really didn’t want to see the race disappear,” Motley said. “The long and the short is Blast Performance Sailing decided to take it on and keep it going.”

The 2011 race allowed Blast Performance Sailing to apprentice in preparation for taking the helm of the 2013 Black Press Van Isle 360°.

One of the challenges of the 2013 race has been ferreting out all of the contacts and details that were not written down, and establishing communications with the key folks in each town/village that welcomes the sailors and crew.

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Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013

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B

eautiful passages can quickly turn into troubled waters around the course competitors will chart in the Black Press Van Isle 360˚ International Yacht Race.

The biennial event circumnavigates a 580-nautical mile course around Vancouver Island’s alluring beauty, which can quickly turn deadly when a change in the weather transforms sea conditions to challenge even the most experienced skipper and crew.

The race, which starts and fi nishes in Nanaimo Harbour, is sailed in 10 legs over 15 days with stops at French Creek, Comox, Campbell River, Hardwicke Island, Telegraph Cove, Port Hardy, Winter Harbour, Ucluelet and Victoria.

There are no set routes. Skippers chart their courses in this point to point competition where the basic rules are to keep Vancouver Island to port and get to each port faster than the next guy.

Boats’ performances are scored

nanaimo

Race charts beautiful, hazardous course Van Isle 360˚ sets course around some of B.C.’s most beautiful and dangerous coastal waters.

on with a “high point” system developed for the Van Isle 360˚ where each leg is weighted and scored on its perceived difficulty.

The fi nal leg through the Gulf Islands from Victoria to Nanaimo with numerous routes, strong tides and hazards is considered one of the most challenging legs of the race.

One skipper described the Van Isle 360˚ as bloody, bruising, dangerous, all consuming and the best race available.

In 2011 crews were hit with 100 km/h Georgia Strait, while winds in the Strait of Georgia and one craft usually calm waters, struck a whale shattering its rudder. can be a challenege for yachts taking part in For 2013 crews could face the the Van Isle 360 race. cont. on 8

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Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013

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The race is designed for spectators and support crews with all stops easily accessible by road - except for Hardwicke Island, located on the north side of Johnstone Strait across from 2013 Sayward - forCADILLAC support crews andATS others • AJAC 2013 Best New Luxury Car following the competition’s progress.

• 2013 ALG Canadian So far, more than 42 boats and Residual Value Winner over 350 skippers and crew have • Canadian Automotive Jury committed to this year’s race which • 2013 North American Car of the launches June 8. of the Best Award” Year “Best

additional hazard of running afoul of some of the 1.5 to 3 million tons of debris drifting across the Pacific Ocean since a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011.

For 2013, race organizers worked together with BC Sailing in providing a safety at sea course and at least two crew members certified through the course must be on each craft for each leg of the race.

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parksville/ french creek

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he VIVA race committee plans an Hawaiian beach party as part of the festivities for the Black Press Van Isle 360. Bring your hula skirts, flowered shirts, coconuts and surfi n’ shorts.

The Hawaiian beach party is planned for June 8 at French Creek Pub, which on June 9, will also host the Parksville Qualicum Beach Shriners pancake breakfast. It’s a hearty breakfast consisting of two pancakes, two sausages, hash browns, coffee and orange juice for only $7. cont. on 10

French Creek Harbour Authority/ French Creek Marina is the first stop in the Black Press Van Isle 360 yacht race around Vancouver Island.

– PQ News

Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013

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parksville/french creek cont.

For competitors or shore crew who wish to explore the beaches of the area, you’ll note that few beaches outside Mexico and the Caribbean compare with the kilometres of near-perfect sandy beaches at Parksville Bay and Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.

With long sunny days, water temperatures may be a high as 20 C in the shallows. The flat beaches are safe for everyone in the family, even at high tide.

There’s space a plenty for barefoot jogging, beach volleyball, impromptu yoga sessions, sunbathing and fun in the sun.

Centrally located on the sheltered east coast of Vancouver Island, the temperate climate makes it a popular year-round holiday destination for tourists from across Canada, North America and Europe.

Qualicum Beach is a hub of artistic

GOOD VALUCK

talent with The Old School House (TOSH) at the heart of it all. This historic building is fi lled with local artists, some working while you browse. TOSH also hosts music performances and other arts and culture events throughout the year.

Many galleries, boutiques, and shops in and around Town feature local artisans and craftspeople as well. Don’t miss a visit to the museum while you are at it – it features an extensive collection of western fossils in addition to the social history exhibit and First Nations artifacts.

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comox

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Valley residents invited to see Van Isle 360 fleet

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n June 9, 42 beautiful sailboats will race into Comox Harbour completing the second leg of the 2013 Black Press Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race.

These sail racing machines – some 21 metres in length – are easily seen from the marina boardwalk, and may be visited on the docks once safely moored.

They are a sight to behold under sail and great fun to see up close. And the public is invited This international race has been run since 1999 and developed from the crazy idea of a few rabid catamaran sailors to what is clearly one of the most respected and exciting yacht races on the entire west coast of North America.

For many years the reception in the

Tripp Tease off Cape Flaherty

Comox Marina was organized by the Comox Valley Yacht Club. But this year that honour has fallen to the Comox Bay Sailing Club and its team is hard at work.

Commodore Andrew Walther said no major problems have been encountered, and that the most significant item, that of fi nding moorage for 42 large sailing vessels in an otherwise full marina, has been resolved.

Reception committee member and cont. on 12

Comox Bay Sailing Club French Toast Breakfast June 10th 06:30-07:45 • $10 Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Strathcona Sunrise

comoxbaysailingclub.ca

Summer Sailing Courses on now!

Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013

11

comox cont.

CBSC activist Rick Tae has negotiated all the racing vessels to be together in the private marina – located just below where the Edgewater once stood, and the gates will be open with visitors welcome.

With more and larger racing boats competing each year, the competition becomes keener and the level of community participation and mutual support gets higher.

An example of such participation is occurring in the Comox Valley with the arrival of the fleet this year: the municipal marina and the private marina are donating the proceeds of the moorage fees to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Private marina owners appreciate the involvement of the Town of Comox and love to see the school kids checking out the boats.

Comox Bay Sailing Club commodore Andrew Walther and his team of volunteers welcome the sailors and support crew of the Black Press Van Isle 360 yacht race June 9.

The Rotary Club of Strathcona will host a french toast breakfast for the departing sailors, as well as for fans and well-wishers, early in the morning of June 10.

The Van Isle 360 is a world class event, and the Comox Bay Sailing Club is proud to have a representative in the race, Tripp Tease, and to be the hosts for the fleet when they arrive at the Comox Marina.

The public is encouraged to see the fleet and to follow it’s progress on the sailing club’s Facebook page during the entire race.

Marine Pub, Grill, Catering & Liquor Store

this is the party spot for the race!

Welcome sailors and race enthusiasts!

Wear your pirate gear and join us in raising a brew to all the participants!

Celebrate with us June 10 th

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250.830.0044

1340 Island Hwy., Campbell River www.riptidemarinepub.ca 12 www.vanisle360.com

Discovery Harbour Shopping Centre 250-850-1199 • www.rmcf.com

4 campbell river O PORT PORT

PORT PORT

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Boatless? Head for Discovery Pier

ne of the best places to watch the Black Press Van Isle 360 race arrive in Campbell River is the Discovery Pier located on the city’s foreshore.

This award-winning wheelchair accessible pier was built in 1987 and was Canada’s fi rst salt water fishing pier. Located next to the Government Wharf downtown, it extends 45 metres from the shore, is 182 metres long and provides great access to high quality recreational fishing.

The pier is a sure fi re way to discover why Campbell River is Canada’s salmon fishing capital and that’s by packing up the family – and your rod and reel – and taking a stroll on Discovery Pier.

Don’t worry about keeping the kids occupied. They’ll have their hands full snagging the world’s most B.C. Ferries’ delicious top-heavy ice cream cone while you keep M.V. Powell River Queen runs an eye on the harbour seals poised to snatch the between Campbell River fi rst fish you get on your line. and Quadra Island.

Open 24 hours a day, the pier is fully lit and The waters of Discovery has built-in rod holders, bait stands, nets, Passage can be some of the fish cleaning tables, covered areas, picnic trickiest in the entire Black Press Van Isle 360° race. tables and benches. cont. on 14

Fundraiser BarBecue June 10th • 10aM - 4PM

By Donation All proceeds to Relay For Life Team “Do It For Dana”

Fuel and Munchies available

Discovery Harbour 250-287-3456 Fuel Barge located behind Ocean Pacific Boat Yard & Moxies

Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013 13

Participants in the Black Press Van Isle 360 Yacht Race will cross the 50th Parrellel off Campbell River and then the 49th Parrellel off Ladysmith near the end of the voyage.

campbell river cont.

The concession is open from 7 a.m. to dusk, May through October and provides rod and tackle rentals, licenses and great snacks.

Tourism Campbell River, Vancouver Island’s gateway to nature’s playground, continues to enjoy its fame as the “Salmon Capital of the World” and it also lays claim to a treasure trove of summer vacation possibilities.

Mountains, lakes, rivers and oceanfront draw thousands of vacationing travellers

from around B.C., North America and, indeed, the world.

There are some amazing holiday options available right inside city limits.

The community is particularly proud of its widely acclaimed Museum at Campbell River and Maritime Heritage Centre.

Outside the city, attractions include numerous provincial parks, campgrounds and beaches.

It also includes opportunities for saltwater and freshwater anglers, wildlife watchers, kayakers, alpine hikers ... even rock climbers.

One of the most picturesque steps for the sailors is Telegraph Cove, where crews enjoy the boardwalk and quaint cottages that the cove is famous for. Not to be missed is the Whale Museum. It is reported that as many as 70 humpback whales make the area in and around Telegraph Cove their home.

Welcome

All sailers and sailing enthusiasts to the

VAN ISLE 360!

Join us at the Marina to savour this exciting race around Vancouver Island!!

392 - 1434 Ironwood St., Campbell River, BC

Call Tara @ 250-287-2614 Call Tara @ 250-287-2614 • www.discoveryharbourmarina.com 14 www.vanisle360.com

Ca

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port hardy /winter harbour

W

hen the fi rst Van Isle 360 boat arrives in Port Hardy, the competitors will ask permission from WATA, the representative of the First Nations for Port Hardy, to land.

Permission will be granted and the competitors will tie up at the summer docks. The summer docks are put in early every other year under the watchful eyes of Brian Thurber.

Echoes and evidence of boom times in a classic west-coast rainforest environment can be found on journeys to what was once the site of the world’s largest floating logging camp.

Holberg is an hour’s drive northwest of Port Hardy and the last stop before Cape Scott Provincial Park. The gravel logging road that takes you there is part of the fun, especially when stopping at the Shoe Tree – started as a joke by Telegraph Cove, a local resident and now a Vancouver Island legend just south of Port thanks to the hundreds of boots, sandals and Hardy provides shoes on its trunk and slung across its branches. excellent shelter for The village is worth a long linger, and sailors in the Black not strictly to enjoy the pub food and Press Van Isle 360. cont. on 16

Port Hardy Welcomes Participants of the 2013 Van Isle 360

7360 Columbia Street, Port Hardy, BC. • www.porthardy.ca •

250-949-6665

Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013 15

port hardy/winter harbour cont. welcoming ambience at the renowned Scarlet Ibis.

Pick up provisions for the hiking, surfi ng or kayaking adventures ahead.

And visit Ronning’s Garden, a circa 1910 homestead on the San Josef Wagon Road whose vast and exotic grounds sit in the middle of the rainforest.

This unique garden, started by pioneering settler Bernt Ronning, complete with monkey puzzle trees and fascinating plants from around the world, almost disappeared when he left his homestead, but has now been restored.

Outdoor adventure is top priority for most visitors. Cape Scott Provincial Park is an unspoiled wonderland with its deserted beaches, sculpted coastline and marathon hiking trails. Raft Cove Provincial Park attracts daytrippers and campers who set up their tents on the

In Port Hardy, BC

WELCOMES

participants and fans of the Van ISLE 360 We are located right on the water front at 8700 Hastings Street.

Come enjoy our wonderful lunch, dinner and drink specials.

Best of Luck from the staff and management of the Sporty Bar & Grill.

Follow us on

250-949-7811

16 www.vanisle360.com

sandy beach. And please keep it quiet, but surfers who prize seclusion and bestkept-secret beachfronts have rediscovered Raft Cove’s big waves.

From Holberg, the gravel road ends at Winter Harbour. This tiny and historic fishing village offers safe year-round anchorage, a seaside boardwalk and access to oceanfront hikes along Botel Park Trail and out to the prime beachcombing at Grant Bay. While Winter Harbour may be small in population (25), it is huge when it comes to making the racers feel welcome. The folks from Winter Harbour and Holberg host a barbecue for about 400 people on the night before the boats leave for Ucluelet. In addition, the lighthouse keepers welcome the race committee for two nights of accommodations and meals as the boats fi nish off of the Kains Island Lighthouse.

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9 port alberni

/ucluelet

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he community of Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island has gotten into the spirit of the Black Press Van Isle 360 in a big way, from hosting a salmon barbecue for 400, to having the coast guard auxiliary escort sailboats into the harbour, and students “adopting” a sailboat to cheer on the racing crews.

“It’s a huge deal,” said Sue Payne, executive director of the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce. “The community has gotten around it since the beginning. It’s something we look forward to.”

Ucluelet is the fi nish for the eighth of 10 legs of the Van Isle 360. The eighth leg is the longest and toughest, running from Winter Harbour to the north, along the west coast of Vancouver Island to Ucluelet: most of it in open ocean.

The boats leave Winter Harbour in the Royal Canadian Marine morning of Sunday, June 16 and arrive Search and Rescue assist sometime that evening – if the weather sailboats in and out of cooperates – or Monday morning.

Ucluelet Harbour prior to “They have a couple of days here to the start of Van Isle 360. dry out and do laundry,” Payne said.

– Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce Photo Since the race’s inception in 1999, cont. on 18

Excited to welcome the VanIsle 360 back to a farm this summer.

Have a great race!

Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013 17

port alberni/ucluelet cont. from 17

The barbecue used to be open to the public, Payne said, but that was when the race was smaller – less than 20 boats.

Now that there are more than twice that number, the chamber has had to limit the event to just crews because there is no space for a larger event.

Another change to the barbecue is the

the chamber has hosted the barbecue and awards night for all the sailing crews and supporters, said Payne, who leads a team of 15 volunteers.

Creative Salmon takes care of barbecuing the salmon, while local restaurants get in on the action by providing salads and side dishes.

This year, Payne hopes Tofi no Brewery will be on site with their locally brewed beverages. West Coast-based musicians will provide the live Van Isle 360 boats gather at the starting line off Amphitrite Point Lighthouse in Ucluelet. entertainment.

– Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce Photo

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location. It used to be held in the iconic rec hall, but moved in 2011 to the new Ucluelet Community Centre.

Schools in Ucluelet also get involved in supporting the race. Students decorate greeting bags for all the racers, which include goodies from the region, and go down to the harbour the day after everyone arrives to greet the crews.

“They are able to see all the boats and meet all the crews,” Payne said.

All the students are assigned a specific boat, and they get excited about cheering on their sailing crew, she added.

Townspeople gather at the coast guard station on the morning of June 19 to watch the start of Leg 9. Watching the sailboats leave Ucluelet Harbour then cluster at the starting line at Amphitrite Point Lighthouse “is pretty spectacular,” Payne said.

Marine Debris Nautical hazards abound for crews entered in the Black Press Van Isle 360 race.

But this year marks the fi rst time entrants will also have to watch out for debris from the 2011 tsunami that devastated coastal communities of Japan.

Karla Robison, the environment and emergency services manager with the District of Ucluelet, will brief sailors on what to watch out for and where debris might be expected. cont. on 20

Race Points ▶▶ Leg 8 is potentially the most challenging of the 10 legs because it is completed on the open ocean, off Vancouver Island’s west coast. ▶▶ Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce hosts a barbecue for 400 at the conclusion of Leg 8. ▶▶ The start and fi nish line is at Amphitrite Point Lightstation and the best vantage point to see the sailboats leave on the morning of Wednesday, June 19 will be from the coast guard station. ▶▶ The coast guard station in Ucluelet is actually known as MCTS Tofi no (Marine Communications and Traffic Services). It operated from the Tofi no Airport from 1956 until April 1980, when it moved to Amphitrite Point. ▶▶ Even though the marine radio station is in Ucluelet, marine traffic calls “Tofi no traffic”. This practice was put into place because officials thought it would be too difficult for captains of foreign vessels to say “Ucluelet” or “Amphitrite traffic.”

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Black Press Van Isle 360° International Yacht Race 2013

19

port alberni/ucluelet cont. from 19 In a presentation at the Union of BC Municipalities in September 2012, Robison and other panel members noted that the Japan Ministry of the Environment estimates 4.5 million tonnes of debris washed into the Pacific Ocean following the March 2011 tsunami. Of that, officials estimate 70 per cent of it sunk off the coast of Japan.

The west coast is seeing the fi rst real wave of debris from the tsunami, and Robison said there is more to come.

“Marine debris is a long-term issue. It’s not going away. The influx of debris from Japan isn’t going to help it,” she said.

Marine debris is nothing new: the tonnes of plastic floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Gyre, where the northern jetstream and southern tradewinds meet and circulate opposite of each other,

20 www.vanisle360.com

has been widely documented. Debris is constantly washing up on west coast beaches too.

Because of that, it is difficult to identify tsunami debris unless there are specific markers such as serial numbers, Japanese characters or other unique identifiers such as aquatic species attached to the debris.

Not only will sailors be advised on the safety hazards of tsunami debris, but Robison will brief them on what to do if they spot debris and how to report such sightings.

The briefi ngs are part of a renewed focus on safety for the Van Isle 360. Race organizers working with BC Sailing provided a safety at sea course to more than 350 sailors, and race rules state that each boat must have a minimum of two members who have taken this course on board for each leg of the race.

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victoria This dragon flies

Crew love Van Isle 360 experience

ragonfly is the fastest catamaran around, north of San Francisco!

At 52-feet long, owner Richard Ackrill can often have a hard time fi nding a place to keep her.

It’s a multi-time winner of the Van Isle 360 and has lived a rich life.

May 25-27 Dragonfly competed in the Swiftsure’s Cape Flattery race and will follow with its seventh running of the Van Isle 360 from June 8 to 22.

Owner Richard Ackrill of Victoria keeps Dragonfly near Everett, where it’s lovingly tended to by its previous owner, in a spot that can accommodate it.

To say the boat is fast is an understatement. Dragonfly’s been the fastest overall in the Van Isle 360 all but once in six years.

But it’s not about winning, it’s about sailing. The boat, you see, can only go one speed.

The fun comes in sailing it, though it’s sometimes a question of sanity when sailing Dragonfly on the volatile high seas off Vancouver Island.

“I fi rst joined the crew for the outer legs of this race in 2001 and loved it,” Ackrill said.

The owner at that time, Pat McGarry, sold it to a Florida owner but it soon became available once more and Ackrill jumped at the opportunity. cont. on 22

Photo: Pacific Fog Photography

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victoria cont. from 21 “We all missed it so much, I talked to Pat McGarry, who was working at a marine company, about using the facilities to store it,” Ackrill said. “To this day we actually use a huge forklift to pull the boat out of the water near Everett, where it lives.”

Ackrill (helm, sail trim and tactics) crews the boat with former owner Pat McGarry (helm), Sandy Dick (mainsail), Nick Banks (navigation and tactics) and Gord Irving (foredeck).

“We love the boat but Van Isle is about the people on the stops along the way.

That’s what makes it worth doing and why we come back,” Ackrill said.

New to 2013 ▶▶ The organizing committee has arranged a fi nal briefi ng for the skippers and crews to be held at the Strathcona Hotel in Victoria on June 20th at 18:30. As this is the fi nal leg of the race, and also the most valuable in terms of scoring, navigators and skippers will be assessing weather forecasts, tidal predictions and local knowledge to determine the best route through the Gulf Islands and which tidal pass to choose. Sometimes fast isn’t quite as important as “best route”.

Points to Ponder: ▶▶ Dragonfly is a pure racing machine built and designed in 1987 in Australia as one man’s dream of competing in the professional Formula 40 race circuit in Europe. ▶▶ She was built partially out of the leftover bits and pieces from the America’s Cup 12 Meter sailboat campaign.

FINISH

11 nanaimo

T

he fi nal leg of the Black Press Van Isle 360 takes place June 21-22 with competitors sailing the 60.40 nautical miles between Victoria and Nanaimo. With so many routes through the Gulf Islands to Nanaimo, this leg will have most navigators considering the various options and challenges.

The fi nish is off Nanaimo's Visiting Vessel Pier with boats having until 5 p.m. to complete the leg.

The awards ceremony takes place at 6:45 p.m., check website for details www.vanisle360.com

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